Does My Business Need an ERP System?

How certain were you about your last sales forecast? Did it involve a good dose of guesswork? Can you easily find out how much inventory is in your warehouse, or is the process lengthy and labored?

If you’re using spreadsheets and multiple systems to manage inventory, customer service, accounting, sales, and more, your business will likely struggle to keep up with demand and growth. You may miss opportunities because you aren’t even aware the opportunities are available.

ERP Systems Basics

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems help your business run more efficiently. They allow you to make better growth decisions by integrating all the systems of the company into a single platform.

The beauty of an ERP system is that you can choose one that is custom-tailored for door and hardware distribution, window and door manufacturing, commercial building materials, division 10 distributors, specialized commercial equipment, and security industries. The best industry practices are incorporated into the software, making it that much simpler for you to run your business and make the most profitable decisions in your industry.

Your business likely needs an ERP system if you:

Have separate systems for the different departments in your company

Use manually updated spreadsheets to track information

Rely heavily on paper invoices in your accounting department

Aren’t certain about your inventory, and finding answers would be a lengthy process

Have employees who struggle to find information about a department other than their own

Benefits of an ERP System

An ERP system will solve all the above problems and more through its integrated approach. With an ERP system, you’ll enjoy a variety of benefits:

An ERP system gives each team member access to data in real time. This allows everyone to make decisions that will have a positive effect on the company. A customer service representative can easily track the status of an order while also seeing upsell opportunities. And an executive can see the whole picture when making purchasing, ordering, and sales decisions.

You don’t have to guess when it comes to the status of shipments in your operation. You can get that information quickly, improving your customer service.

Your end-of-month process will be quicker and more efficient. An ERP system automates reports and audits, while alerting you to anomalies. In addition, it simplifies repetitive tasks, freeing up time and quickly getting you the information you need.

An ERP system helps you run a smooth operation while managing and controlling your costs, giving you an up-to-date picture of your product cost and margins. In addition, ERP systems help you balance supply and demand.

An ERP system creates uniformity in your data records. Your records will be more accurate, allowing you to make more reliable decisions.

Bottom Line

Most importantly, an ERP system eliminates busy work, freeing up time for your employees and executives to do work that really counts — like helping your company grow.

Get Started

If you’re ready to learn more about how an ERP system can help your company become more profitable and less stressful, visit ContractERP’s website and see how your door and hardware distribution, window and door manufacturing, commercial building materials, division 10 distributors, specialized commercial equipment, or security company can grow with an ERP system.

Download Our Whitepaper:

The ABCs of ERP: An Introduction to ERP for the Division 8 Industry

ERP solutions for Division 8, Division 10, or commercial supply require special features and functionality. To learn what you need to know before you commit to an ERP solution, download your free copy of this brand new whitepaper from ContractERP.